Rat's Odyssey: Festies! Larmer Tree and Pump Festivals

This will be a long post and will take me a couple of bites to get everything on so please bear with me. The photo's are great and I have met some wonderful and beautiful people.

I'm not a folkie. My daughter, who worked both festivals as well, is and I think a little baffled that I don't even open the programme these days to see who is playing. I go to festivals to break up my largely mundane life. I like to talk (usually about myself!). Working festies gives me a reason to talk to people and selling high quality, guitar shaped furniture is a great reason!

The other traders are a great crew. Most are serious, or have been serious festival goers and all have a story and all have some hidden talent. In short they are a great crew and I think Roger, my boss, and I fit right in. We all know that friendships can be fleeting and we all accept that we will all meet each other again sometime. This wonderful situation means you can be yourself. Being outrageous and "letting go" is very easy and refreshing in such company and in such places.

"Festivaling" is about the people for me. The music brings the people.

In the photo's below I've tried to capture this:

My step-daughter Lizzy to the left and Megan, the Lady from Pennsylvania, US of A to the left. Megan's son make up this trio. Megan all 2st 4lbs of her has a huge voice. More of that in the narrative to follow.

This lady was next to me trading with her artist husband. As a young lady she spent 10 years in the US and returned with 2 small Thai children. The rest of her life I would imagine was equally as interesting and I love this photo. the painting in the background makes it.

Take enough photo's and every once in a while you get a classic. This was not posed and this lady, who's name alludes me, was the owner of this stall and I will get a high quality copy of this and give it to her as a gift next year. Love this one!

Rose is a trader who makes felt. She did the multicoloured felt tails that adorn my festie hat and my well travelled manbag. This is her normal look and she is great - and obviously a nutter!

My point about people is made here. The first I love. There is a lot to look at with the back drop having as much impact as the subject! The second is motherhood, just motherhood. I wish I knew who see was; again so I could give her this snapshot.

Reg is an old hand and boy doesn't he look like it! This is a real character and he runs/owns the Arts Cafe at the Larmer Tree festival. We partied with some of his staff at the Larmer and it was my moment of the summer festie season. He, I and a few of his staff had a late night drinking session and we had professional standard singing (with Megan, Sparkle and Ashley) hand drumming (Reg and I before I could no longer keep time..) and an empty, closed, cafe tent to play for. Bliss, true bliss. Thank you guys.

The first photo.....I don't know what to say! The second is my founder of my feast or should I say Fest, Roger. My bosh showing what he thinks of my selling skills!

That's not tea in that cup. It wasn't the first cup she had either!

Sian and Damian are a great couple. Met Sian several times at festies and we are getting friendly. Hey guys, really looking forward to seeing you soon at mine.

"You ain't seen me, RIGHT!!!!". Pissed at the Larmer. My favourite tipple took a major beating this night. A bottle of wine followed by a bottle of Rum made a great night better! This guy will remain nameless. Why? International spy? Criminal on the run? Billionaire doing the cheap? He probably went sick....

Mud, mud, glorious mud, there's nothing better for cooling the blood. Yeah, no shit. This site does not contain any positive references to mud. This particular variant is Larmer Tree.